Pboces of



W. F. BLEECKER.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING GRANULAB MATERIAL.

APPLICATWI FILED ml. l5, ms.

1,175,224. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

WARREN I. BLEBCKEB, F CANONSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PBOCES OF PRODUCING GRAINUIAAR MATERIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

Application fled January 15, 1915; Serial 10. 2,459.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Wanna F. Bnnncxmz, a citizen of the United States, resid ng at Canonsburg, in the county of and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and Improvements in Processes of Producing Granular Material, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention relates to a process of reducing a fusible substance, such as gins,

to granules of substantially spherical form and uniform size, and it briefly consists in pulverizing the material and subjecting the pulverulent matter to the iniiuence of heat while in motion, thereby causing the minute particles to fuse and'assume a. spherical rax, or any other similar le substance, it understood thatii a colored granular p is required for photographic purposes the substance must be transparent as well as colorable.

Glas and more especially lead glass, is cularly adapted for use in my process y reason of its low melting point and us superior optical qualities, but if a colored productisdesinedthefirststepintheproces is the coloriniof the material which may be accomplished y any suitable method and with an suitable cooring a t such as oxids 0 metal commonly glas- The material is crushed in a. raw, cold condition pulverinedbblyI any system 0 grmdmg. irouballmillwithironballshasbeenfoundtc v 56 be well adapted for the purpose, provided that the dust produced by its action is prior to its formation in the sphemsin'the apparates hereinafter to be described, treated in coloring with a diluting acid to remove the iron it collected in the grinding process.

The pulverous matter is sized to mparate the coarser particles, by any suitable means as for example an air separator. The coarse particles are subsequently re und and added to the finer matter on the entire mass is of substantially uniform size. The divided matter is now transformed into granules of spherical form by subjecting it to heat while in motion which may be accomphshai in many difierent ways of which the ollowing method is an example.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which shows in vertical section an a paratus suitable for use in producing sp erical granules, the reference character 2 designates a bin into which the pulverulent matter is fed. The bin has at its lower end an open' through which the material is discharged onto an inclined surface which delivers it into a spout 5. The spout dischargesthedustinafine'streamwhichis intercepted by a jet of burning gas ejected from a burner 6 under a pressure of about twenty pounds per inch. The burner may be of any suita 1e construction and it is can with a pipe 7 for the introduction ofair,'and with a ipe 8 for the supply of a combustible gas. e heat and velocity of the s jet cause the dust particles to fuse an assume a spherical shape and in this condition they are driven into a chamber 9 u n the floor of which the greater rtion o the particles collect, while the 'ghter matter is drawn through an opening 10 in the up r portion of the chamber into a dust-co ector by the action of a fan or other suitable suction device. It will be understood that means not shown in the drawings must be provided to regulate the heat and velocity of the gas jet and the rate at which the dust is fed through the nozzle.

In case the contents of the chamber contains unfused particles, which failed to pas through its outlet 10, the entire mass may he again pased through the flame in the above described manner without affecting the particles already ,fused.

The mas of spherical granules collected in the chamber 9 may be sized by any suitable method to obtain a product of uniform diameter. When the product of the process is to be used as a coating-for plates or films in the piteeas of-mhr photography hereini? fifid m m is ore 'vi into groups which a m s ns M *0 W we a a ue an a co or. l iia colored rately pulverized and to described" ,a'na after hanng' been sized to; uniform dime tel: are thoroughly mlxeii' i'n quan- Tlie finished groducta'pmsen -l tnchw' ghotow .plates and sass-W or i l resasqg of vtho io iubtsumform me an 0 1 :parhcla.

my invention what IkTiim 'j tosecune byLdters'Pat- -T oil." s n was.

Q We otsepa a tive octiou'of rhlzst heltqlto a melting temperasubuniform size aml finally 11mmof a melting temperature whereby to cause the particles of the matenal to become spherical by surface tension.

5. The herein described process of proglucing granular material consisting in subectiug l quantity of pulverulent fusible matetial of uniform composition synchronously to aflissemiaative or separative action and to heat of a melting tm'e whereby to cause the of the material to become pha m I sqrhw twinn- 6. herein described process of ,produc ng in pulwzenzing a iusible substance to a substantlally size, and a quantity of the lflverulent material synchronpmly to a f 've or s'eparativo actloniindtoheatofameltiugtemperature whereby to cause the garticles of the mategial to spherical by surface tension.

7. The hemm' described process of 1; ducing granular material consisting in coloring a iusihle substance, then .pulvezizingthe coined-substance to a sub ecting a quantityuf 'the ulverulent matenal synchronously to a ifisemimt'we or separative aetionaudtoheatofameltingtem perature wherehytocause thoqauticles ofthema-- snrfaoe u o terial to become-spherical by In testimony whereof I have afixed my signature in %resenoe of two witnesses.

I ARR-EH F. BLEECKER. Wham amuy-mm-WE: 0121mm, an hem-Inc. 

